Chemicals and Nanomaterials: What Do We Know About Their Safety and Sustainability?
Nanomaterials and their associated chemicals (such as dopants, ligands, and coatings) are revolutionizing sectors in science and industry, including pharmacology and cosmetics. However, knowledge about the potential risks they pose to human health and the environment remains very limited. Therefore, to comply with European regulatory frameworks and accelerate their adoption and implementation, it is essential to conduct in-depth studies to ensure their chemical safety and sustainability from the design stage (SSbD).
Figure: Schematic representation of a nanoparticle with its associated components
CheMatSustain: Methods to Evaluate the Safety and Sustainability of Nanomaterials
CheMatSustain is a Horizon Europe project led and coordinated by the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW). It brings together a total of 10 partners from 7 EU countries and 1 associated partner from the United Kingdom. The project aims to improve and standardize screening and testing methods for nanomaterials and associated chemicals by combining advanced experimental assays with in silico models to support SSbD (Safe and Sustainable by Design) decisions.
To achieve this, the project focuses on three main areas of action:
• Selection and characterization of nanomaterials.
• Experimental (in vitro) analysis and computational (in silico) modeling of nanomaterials, as well as the standardization of the developed methods for potential adoption by public and private organizations.
• Development of a public database compiling the generated data.
ProtoQSAR: In Silico Models for SSbD
Within CheMatSustain, ProtoQSAR leads Work Package 5: Chemoinformatics Predictive Models. Its contribution focuses on developing data-driven computational models ((Q)SAR) to predict human health and environmental hazards of nanomaterials and their associated compounds. The data generated will be made publicly available through the database developed by CheMatSustain.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (Innovation Action) under grant agreement No. 101137990.
